Seismic Swarm S20231213.1: Analysis of Activity South of Whites City, New Mexico

Seismic swarm S20231213.1 occurred 62 km south of Whites City, New Mexico, from 05:23 on 12 December 2023 to 08:49 on 15 December 2023. Over 75 hours and 25 minutes, the event sequence registered 35 earthquakes. Magnitudes ranged from -0.4 to 3.4, with focal depths concentrated between 3 km and 7 km. The largest events included a magnitude 3.4 quake at 20:31 on 12 December at 7 km depth and a magnitude 3.3 event at 23:05 the same day at 5 km depth. Activity peaked during the first 24 hours before tapering, with smaller events continuing through 15 December. The swarm exhibited typical characteristics of clustered microseismicity, featuring numerous events below magnitude 2.0 alongside several moderate shocks. Depths remained shallow throughout, consistent with activity in sedimentary layers. No damage or felt reports were associated with the sequence based on available records. The location lies within the Delaware Basin, a western subdivision of the larger Permian Basin in southeastern New Mexico and western Texas. This region features thick sequences of Paleozoic carbonates, evaporites, and clastic rocks overlying Precambrian basement. Tectonic history includes Laramide-age deformation and later Basin and Range extension that produced normal faults. Modern seismicity in the Delaware Basin has increased notably since the early 2000s, with many events linked to fluid injection from oil and gas production. Historical swarm data for the area since 2000 record eight prior episodes. These occurred in 2022 (one swarm) and 2023 (seven swarms), indicating recurring clustered activity. Such patterns may reflect both natural fault reactivation and anthropogenic influences from wastewater disposal common in the Permian Basin.

References

USGS Earthquake Catalog (earthquake.usgs.gov)
New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources regional reports